Self-locking concrete block



Dec. 1, 1936. E. J. WILDERMUTH 2,062,851

I SELF LOCKING CONCRETE BLOCK 1 v :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi led June 5, 19.33

'F/GZ 7 5 1936. E. J.WlL DERMUTl- I SELF LOCKING CONCRETE BLOCK Filed J1me 5, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1, 1936. E. J. WILDERMUTH SELF'LOCKING CONCRETE BLOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 5, 1935 Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES OFFICE 2,062,851 I I I a v SELF-LOCKINGICONCRETE- BLOCK Edmund J. Wildermuth, Kirkwood, Mo Application June 5, 1933, Serial No. 674,360

1 Claim.

This invention relates to self-locking concrete blocks, and has special reference to concrete blocks adapted and designed for use in the construction of cylindrical buildings, such as bins, elevators and silos.

Objects of the invention are to provide improved concrete blocks of arcuate shape and adapted to be superimposed edgewise one upon the other and having interlocking grooves and tongues in their adjacent edges, certain of the walls of which are formed on other than radial lines so that, when the tongues are placed in the grooves, they will withstand considerable outward pressure and remain rigidly in their assembled position; to provide means for interlocking the vertical edges of adjacent blocks to locate and hold them in arcuate alinement; and to provide an improved reinforcement embedded in each block.

Other objects and advantages of the invention should be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one of my improved concrete blocks.

Fig. 2 is an inner side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view approximately on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an outer side elevation of a block constructed for use as a coping at the top of the building.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the blocks.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a frame structure or hopper used in providing an opening in the wall constructed by means of my improved blocks.

Fig. 7 is an outer side elevation of the frame shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view approximately on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of an arcuate wall made by use of my improved blocks.

Fig. 10 is an outer side elevation of the wall having an opening therein provided by the frame shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8.

My improved concrete block embeds a metallic reinforcing element l which may be a steel rod bent to form a frame having upper, lower and side portions. The body of the concrete block is approximately rectangular in side elevation, and is arcuate in plan view as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In the embodiment shown, the upper edge of each block has two upwardly extending end lugs provided with vertical walls 2 along their inner sides and an intermediate lug extending upwardly to about the same height as the end lugs and having inwardly converging side walls 3 which diverge inwardly from the walls 2. Thus, these are two grooves in the upper edge of each block extending from the outer surface to the inner surface of the block, and each of these grooves is wider at the inner side of the block than at the outer side.

One end of each block is formed with a Vertical V-shaped groove 4, and the opposite end is formed with a matching V-shaped rib 5. The grooved on the end of each block is designed and adapted to receive the rib 5 on the adjacent end of an adjacent block so as to aline the blocks in arcuate or circular formation and hold them in such arrangement.

The lower edge of each block is formed with a pair of downwardly extended lugs, each having an inner side wall 6 and an outer side wall 1 diverging inwardly from each other in the manner in which the walls 2 and 3 diverge inwardly. These lugs on the lower edges of the block will fit snugly in the grooves in the upper edges of the next lower blocks, and thereby provide an interlocking arrangement which cannot be broken by pressure applied to the inside of the cylindrical structure. This is because the lugs at the lower edges of the blocks have their inner portions wider than their outer portions and, therefore, rigidly interlock in the grooves and with the lugs on the upper edges of the next lower blocks.

The structure of the frame I and the relationship in which it is embedded in the block are indicated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. As shown, the frame comprises a rod bent to form corner portions l that extend into the lugs adjacent to the corners of the block and thus strengthen said lugs, so that they will resist the severe strains to which they are subjected. Also, the rod is bent continuously to provide an inner portion l and an outer portion I said inner and outer portions being spaced apart and relatively close to the inner and outer walls of the block.

The frame structure shown in Figs. 6, '7, and 8 is arcuate in plan view and has its side and upper and lower portions provided with spaces. The ends of the blocks at the sides of the frame fit in the side spaces, while the lower edges of the blocks above the frame fit in the upper space, and the upper edges of the blocks below the frame fit in the lower space. Thus, the frame is in fact provided with channels on all sides which receive marginal portions of blocks along all sides of the frame. The top of the frame at the bottom of the channel may be provided with ribs or lugs 8 and 9 to interlock against the walls 6 and 'l on the lower edges of the blocks above the frame. The sides of the frame may be provided with members It] and H to interlock with the walls 6 and 1, while the space at the bottom of the frame has lugs I3 and I4 adapted to engage and interlock with the walls 2 and 3 in the upper edges of the blocks that are below the frame.

These blocks and these frames may be manufactured at comparatively low cost and assembled without difficulty in rigid interlocking relationship. The wall of a cylindrical building made of these blocks is of strong and rigid construction and dispenses with the need for bands or hoops ordinarily used in connection with cylindrical building walls as strengthening devices.

The construction and arrangement of the features of the invention may be varied within equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle thereof.

I claim:-

A building block of the character described comprising an arcuate body having lugs on and. grooves in its upper and lower edges, the side walls of each of said grooves diverging inwardly and the side walls of the lugs also diverging inwardly in conformity with the side walls of said grooves, and a metallic frame embedded in said block and including upper and lower and side portions adjacent to the upper and lower and end walls of said block, said frame also including inner and outer portions adjacent to the inner and outer walls of said block and also including portions extending into certain of said lugs beyond the bottom walls of said grooves.

EDMUND J. WILDERMUTH. 

